Baby It's You
by Scruffy-Nerf-Hearder
Summary: When a little girl is left behind after a class field trip to Stark Tower Bruce takes her home where he meets her mother. The next day he finds himself in her shop and soon after they find they keep running into each other. The more Bruce tries to ignore it the more he feels drawn to the two. Is the universe just being cruel, or could he have found where he truly belongs? Bruce/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey ya'll, this is the first chapter to my new story, obviously. I wasn't planning on posting this so soon, but my computer crashed and I lost all of the chapters I had pre-written for "My Aim is True" as soon as I get over the initial shock of the situation- IE. the fact that I lost three chapters I had written, three four thousand word chapters, I'll rewrite them and post them. I had this idea a little while ago, and I love writing Bruce Banner stories, but I thought it was about time to give Minnie and everyone else a rest. So, this is a new OC. I hope you enjoy it! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel.** _

* * *

The class of squealing happy eight year olds was extremely out of place in Stark Tower. It was nine months after the Loki incident, and most on Manhattan was almost back to normal- aside from the perpetual construction going on all over town. At Stark Tower Tony had decided to allow a field trip of eight year olds into the building to talk about science and look over the building and do other things eight year olds did. What neither Bruce, nor Tony expected was Sylvia Dennison to take the kids to some of the more private areas of Stark Tower, including the very lab they were working in.

Luckily it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, Tony wanted to see if they could make an Arc Reactor small enough to fit inside a cell phone, or an MP3 player, but still when you're working one moment, and surrounded by children the next, it can be a little unsettling. "Why are there children?" Tony asked Bruce who shrugged as the kids gathered around what they were doing.

"My sister has an iPod like this!" one of the kids said as they picked up the prototype MP3 player Tony was working on.

"_No_, she doesn't." Tony said as he plucked it from the kid's hand.

"What's that do?"

"Are you _really_ Iron Man?"

"Will you blow something up?"

"Blow up the iPod!"

"No, that's _lame_!"

"_You're_ lame!"

"Your _face_ is lame!"

"_Woah_." Bruce said in shock and slight amusement. "That's enough boys."

"That escalated quickly." Tony muttered to Bruce who nodded.

"Mr. Stark, would you like to tell the kids something about what you're working on?" Sylvia asked.

"Ms. Dennison, what I'm working on is so complex the _only_ person in this room that would understand half of what I'm saying about it is sitting right across from me, however, I do have a few things to say to you." he said to her making her face loose color as she walked over to him. "Bruce, man the fort."

"Tony, don't leave me here." he said quickly, but his friend walked out of the room leaving him with twenty small children all staring at him expectantly. "So... Who likes science?" he asked with a weak smile.

Pandemonium broke loose from there, kids were shouting for attention, trying to see what he was doing, pushing each other, opening doors in the room and Bruce was in the middle of the chaos trying desperately to control his heart rate.

A few moments later the woman Bruce took to be the class' teacher came in and loudly announced herself to the class. "Is this how we behave in public?!" she asked loudly and they all quieted down. "Wendy, Marie, close that closet door, Jason, get away from that, do not touch that Ryan!" she spoke to kids while Bruce sat there on his stool probably looking as dazed and confused as he felt.

"Okay kids, Mr. Stark is going to talk to you about science for a few minutes, and then we're going to go back downstairs." Ms. Dennison walked back into the room.

"Bruce, why don't you go upstairs for a bit Buddy?" Tony walked over to his friend and lowered his voice. "Or downstairs if it makes you feel better." he said referring to the Hulk panic room he had made for Bruce when Bruce agreed to move into Stark Tower, after Tony promised to take precautions so if the Other guy ever came out, there was less of a chance of him hurting people.

"Yeah, I'm going to go upstairs." he nodded to Tony who nodded back and clapped his friend on the shoulder before turning to the class.

"Yes, I am Iron Man, now today I'm going to explain to you guys a little bit about the science behind the Iron Man suit..." he looked back at Bruce as he walked out of the lab and then down the hall, to the elevator that would lead him to the floor Tony had given him. Seriously, an entire floor.

Each of the Avengers had one, but he was the only one (So far, as Tony liked to remind him) that had taken him up on the offer. He went to his floor and went to the large kitchen, even though he and Tony usually ate meals in the main kitchen on Tony's floor, Bruce kept his stocked with some of his favorite things.

After making himself a cup of tea and doing some breathing exercises. While Bruce was okay with kids one on one, groups of them had never been his thing. When children got in groups, he noticed they were loud, and fought for attention, it made him remember being a child, how hard it was growing up, how cruel kids could be to each other. He shook his head at the thought and let out a small sigh.

* * *

He didn't return to the lab for a few hours, when he did he noticed some of his papers had been moved, so he retrieved them from a drawer and started to work on them. He had been working for about ten minutes when he heard a slight knocking sound. He paused, and then started to work again. A moment later the sound started up again. He paused again, this time he frowned and listened. He hadn't been working himself to death so there was no reason he'd be hallucinating at this point- It wasn't uncommon for Bruce to literally work for days on end with as little sleep as possible, just so he could say he'd done something. Hallucinations after three days of no sleep were not uncommon.

"Hello?" he asked, breaking the first rule in the "_Things not to do in a horror film_" guide. He stood up when he heard the knocking again, this time accompanied by sniffling. The sounds were coming from the supply closet on the far side of the room. He walked over to it and opened it, and was surprised and horrified to see a little girl wearing a school uniform looking up at him. "Uh, hi there." he said when he saw her. She sniffled again and he noticed the tears rolling down her plump little face. He knelt down and sighed gently. "What's your name?"

"E- Eleanor Ra- Reed." she said shakily.

"Eleanor were you with the class here today?" he asked and she nodded. "Okay, come on." he said and she took that as invitation to throw her arms around his neck and start sobbing into his shoulder. He stayed kneeling like that uncertainly for a moment before he picked her up easily; she wrapped her legs around him like a koala. "I'm sure your parents are frantic." Bruce said as he stepped into the elevator. He took her up to Tony's penthouse and brought her to the closest bathroom before asking Jarvis to get Tony. Tony came from his office where he had been working on some ideas for the next Stark building, hopefully it was going to be in Tokyo, but they were still working on the zoning issues.

"What's up Buddy?" he asked Bruce who was wringing his hands like he did when he got nervous. "Did you crack another screen? You know its okay when that happens, but you've got to stop taking it out on the tech man." Tony grinned and Bruce shook his head.

"No, uh, when that class was here earlier-"

"Did those little grub monsters wreck something?"

"No, when you left me alone with them, they all went nuts, I tried to break up a fight with a few of them, and one of the kids- Well-" at that moment little blonde Eleanor Reed decided to come out of the bathroom. "She was locked in a closet." Bruce said as Tony stared at the eight year old.

"Bruce, I don't care if you promise to walk her and feed her, you _can't_ keep her."

"Her name is Eleanor."

"Oh god you've _named _her? You're going to get too attached and want to keep her now!" Tony groaned.

"Tony, be serious!" Bruce said and he nodded before looking at the little girl.

"So, Eleanor, right?" she nodded. "Do you like pizza?"

"My mommy says not to take food from strangers."

"Does your mommy also say not to wander off during field trips and get locked in closets?" she shook her head. "Maybe she should start." Tony said under his breath before straightening up. "Do you know your phone number?"

"My address is in my backpack."

"Where's your backpack?"

"In the closet."

"I'll get it." Bruce said quickly. When he returned to the penthouse Tony had convinced Eleanor to take a slice of pizza and a glass of lemonade.

"In the front pocket." she said with her mouth full of pineapple pizza, the ham slices had been picked off and left on the plate in front of her.

"You live in Brooklyn?" he asked and she nodded.

"Do you have any ranch dressing?" she asked Tony who grinned.

"Oh no, I'm starting to like her too." he said as he retrieved the ranch.

"So what happened today?"

"After Mr. Stark took our guide to talk, two of the kids shoved me in the closet and then everyone left." she explained. "And it was really quiet for a really long time."

"Your phone number isn't in here." Bruce said and she frowned. "You sure you don't remember it?"

"I dunno." she mumbled.

"I could hack into the school files." Tony offered and Bruce shrugged. "Or you can just take a car and take her home."

"_Me_?" Bruce asked and Tony nodded. "Why not Happy?"

"You found her. Besides, Happy is with Pepper in Tokyo until Monday, you know that."

"Okay I'll take you home." Bruce said to the young girl who nodded. "I'm sure your mom and dad are worried sick."

"I don't have a dad." she said simply.

"What happened to him?" Tony asked.

"He had better things to do then take care of me."

"Did your mom say that?"

"No, he told me." she said simply and Bruce frowned.

"Sounds like a real piece of work." Tony mumbled.

"That's what my auntie Lettie says!" she swallowed her pizza. "Except she called him a piece of shit when I wasn't in the room."

"I wonder why she waited till you were gone." Tony said and Bruce shook his head.

"Your uh, mom probably wouldn't want you to talk like that." Bruce said and she nodded.

"Yeah I know, but she talks like that."

"Well _she's_ an adult; _she_ can talk however she wants." Bruce said.

"Travis in my class said that word when the teacher wasn't there."

"There's a reason he waited until the teacher was gone." Tony said as he leaned on the counter. "Well kid, when you're done with your pizza, Bruce here is going to take you home." Tony told her. "So before he does, you want to tell us _who_ shoved you in the closet?"

"I'm not a tattle tale." she said shaking her head.

"Well I could always look over the security footage." Tony said. "And then find out who they are by asking your teacher."

"Wendy and Marie," Bruce said suddenly and she looked at him quickly. "I remember your teacher telling then to close a door." he said and she nodded.

"Wendy and Marie Hansen." she told the two Avengers. When she was finished with her food she gave Tony a hug, and then Bruce took her downstairs to the cars. They got into one of the many cars Tony had in his private garage and Bruce told her address to the GPS before starting the car and driving them there. "My mommy's going to be so mad." she said.

"I think she'll just be happy you're okay." Bruce said.

"I never didn't go home before."

"I'm sure she'll be relieved you're home." Bruce told her and she nodded.

* * *

When they finally got to the address Bruce sighed seeing she had fallen asleep. He went over to the other side of the car and woke her up. She frowned, but got out of the car and he shut it behind her before Bruce started to walk to the building, Eleanor ran up next to him and slipped her hand into his as they crossed the street. When they got to the building he looked at the names and was about to ask her if they were at the right place- He didn't see a name plate for Reed. The problem was solved when a neighbor opened the door to step out.

"Oh, Eleanor, good evening." the older woman said and Eleanor smiled.

"Good evening Mrs. Halloway." the little girl said as she caught the door. Bruce followed her to the staircase and they walked upstairs before Eleanor led him to a door. He knocked on the door and a tall skinny woman with longish brown hair opened the door.

"_Bug_!" she gasped and dropped to her knees. Eleanor rushed into her arms and hugged her tightly. "Harper!" the woman called into the apartment. "Harper, she's home!"

"Elle!" a blonde haired woman rushed into the hall and Bruce watched as Eleanor let go of the first woman and rushed to the other.

"_Mommy_!" she shouted and rushed into her mom's arms.

"So who are you?" the first woman asked Bruce who looked at her quickly.

"Oh, my name is Bruce, I found your... Daughter?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I'm her aunt, but don't worry, tons of people think we're Lesbos."

"Uh..."

"You found my daughter?" Eleanor's mom asked as she stood up. She was shorter than her sister, and had a little rounder of a face Bruce noticed. He also noticed she had been crying, her eyes were red, her cheeks tearstained, and her nose was red.

"Yeah, I work at Stark tower-"

"Stark Tower, what was she doing there?" the Aunt asked.

"Her class went on a field trip there." Eleanor's mom explained before looking at Bruce. "Do you want to come in?"

"Uh, sure, thank you." he said as he stepped into the apartment. "She mentioned having some problems with some kids in her class. They were the ones who locked her in the closet."

"Which kids?"

"Two girls, sisters I think, Wendy and Marie."

"Wendy and Marie?" the woman looked down at her daughter. "Why would they do that?"

"Because they're mean and they hate me!" Eleanor said and her aunt picked her up.

"Why don't I get her ready for bed." she said rather than asked.

"I'm- I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Eleanor's mom asked looking at Bruce.

"It's Bruce, Bruce Banner."

"I'm Harper Burke." she told him and he nodded as he shook her hand. A whistle went off in the kitchen and she looked back, and then looked at Bruce. "Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Sure, can I help you?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No, no, you've helped enough already. I really can't thank you enough for bringing her home." she was saying as she led him down the hallway. It seemed narrower than it was because of the shelves of books lining it. He paused to look at some of the spines, everything from "_**Jane Eyre**_" to "_**On the Road**_".

He followed after her to the purple painted kitchen with white molding around the trim and on the ceiling. She lifted the whistling tea pot that had obviously seen a lot of love off of the burner on the vintage yellow stove. She turned off the stove and pulled two mugs out of the cupboard and filled them with hot water. "Is blueberry okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's fine, thank you."

"I really can't thank you enough for everything." she said as she dropped two tea bags into the mugs and picked them up to walk over to where Bruce was standing, her hands were shaking slightly making her spill a little of the tea. "Oh-"

"Let me." Bruce took them from her and set them on the counter.

"I'm sorry, I just- I tried to call the police and they told me I had to wait twenty four hours before I could report her missing and- I just I panicked. She's my little girl you know?" she asked and he nodded as he saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to her."

"Hey," Harper's sister walked into the small kitchen and took a drink out of Harper's mug of tea. "Ugh, this is weak."

"Just because it doesn't have alcohol-"

"That's what I said." she replied and Harper rolled her eyes with a smile as she wiped her eyes. "Hey look kiddo, Bug is fine." she said and Harper nodded.

"I know, I know she is, it's just- I was so scared."

"I know, I know, but hey, at least she's back now."

"Where is she?"

"In the tub."

"I should go help her get ready for bed."

"Right, I'll show your friend out."

"Okay, thanks- Thank you again Mr. Banner." she said to Bruce who nodded as she walked out of the room.

"So, you work at Stark Tower huh?" Harper's sister asked and Bruce nodded.

"What was your name again?"

"Bruce Banner."

"Right, Bruce Banner, I'm Loretta Burke, and I just want to say, since my sister is so relieved about having Bug back, and so am I, but she's not thinking straight right now, and I am. I'd like to be the first to say, if I find out any _fucked up shit_ happened to my niece, it'll take more than Tony Stark's twelve lawyers to stop me." She said as she shook his hand. He nodded and she nodded, before smiling again. "So look, Bug's got to get some sleep, and so does Cherry, so you really should get out of here, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah of course." he nodded. "Nice to meet you, good night." he shook her hand before walking to the door. When he stepped outside he sighed at least he didn't have to worry about the kid anymore. When he got downstairs he got into the car and started to drive back to Midtown Manhattan. Thirty minutes into the forty five minute drive he happened to look at the floor on the passenger's side of the car. "Christ." he muttered. Her backpack was on the floor of the car.

"Hey buddy." Tony said when Bruce came back in. "So that mom's a looker huh?"

"How would you know?" Bruce asked.

"Hacked the school's files and I looked her up." Tony said casually.

"It's disturbing how easily you can do that. They take pictures for the school?"

"What's disturbing is how easy they make it. And no, I had Jarvis run her name and I found an article written about her store."

"What kind of store does she have?"

"A book store." Tony replied.

"Where?" Bruce asked and Tony looked up at his friend with a sly smile. "The kid forgot her backpack in your car."

"Maybe she left it so you would have to see her mom again." Tony asked and Bruce stared at him blankly.

"Good night Tony."

"Don't you want the address?" Bruce paused and then sighed and walked back to his meddling friend. Tony handed a paper with the address to him and Bruce took it before going to the elevator. "Where you going Brucie?"

"To try to get some work done!"

"Make sure there aren't any more kids hiding in the vents or anything." Tony reminded him and Bruce waved his hand as he stepped into the elevator.

* * *

_**I hope you liked this intro, there will be more of them in the next chapter. I imagine Julia Stiles when I think of Harper, and Parker Posey when I think of her sister. As for the daughter Eleanor I think of Elle Fanning in Benjamin Button. **_

_**Please Review and let me know what you think!** _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey ya'll, thanks so much to everyone who put this story on your alerts, favorites, or reviewed! I just wanted to say, to those of you who have read my Minnie series, those characters are not done with, they're just taking a break right now, I will write more with them, but I think I just want to work on a different story for now. I hope you guys are enjoying this one though! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel characters. I hope you understand.** _

* * *

The next day Bruce took the car and drove to the book store. He found a parking spot- thank god- and took the backpack, and walked around the corner to the book store. A small bell rang as he walked into the small shop and he was greeted with the smell of books. He smiled to himself and looked around the store when a force impacting with his leg almost knocked him over. He looked down at the smiling face of Eleanor Reed. "Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked and she giggled.

"Mommy let me come to work with her today. She said after yesterday I deserve a three day weekend." she grinned.

"Well I don't know how much you'd get done in school without this." he held up her bright blue backpack and she gasped.

"My backpack!" she said and he handed it to her. "I couldn't remember where I left it."

"You left it in Tony's car." he told her and she nodded.

"Elle, did you finish wiping off the new shipment of books?" Bruce looked over as Harper walked out from behind a shelf of books. She had her long blonde hair tied up in a quick twist, and a pair of black framed glasses were perches on her nose. "Oh, Mr. Banner, what a surprise."

"He brought me my backpack back!" Eleanor said as she held up her backpack and walked over to her mom.

"Well that was very sweet of him." she smiled at Bruce who smiled lightly.

"She left it in the car last night, I figured, I'd bring it back to her."

"How did you know where-"

"Ah, Tony." he nodded and she nodded.

"Yeah I guess Tony Stark could figure out anything about anyone couldn't he?"

"It's kind of scary how well he does it." Bruce admitted and she laughed lightly.

"Well, um, thanks for returning it, again. At this rate next time I lose something I guess I should call you first huh?" she asked and he chuckled lightly before looking around the store.

"How long have you been here?" he asked and she smiled.

"Over thirty years." she smiled. "It was my mom's store."

"And someday it'll be mine." Eleanor said from where she was seated behind the counter wiping down books.

"I have no doubt." Bruce smiled at the young girl before his cell phone went off. He looked at the caller ID and then to Harper. "Excuse me a moment." he turned and answered the phone. "Yeah Tony?"

"Hey Buddy, that equipment you ordered is here."

"Good, what took them so long?"

"Oh you know they're not to big on selling things of this magnitude to places that aren't hospitals or schools, not a lot of people want a spectrometer for their private use."

"It takes less time to build one on your own."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Usually am."

"Well next time you can just make one, rather than subject yourself to the torture of waiting for our request go through."

"I may have to actually do that." Bruce replied and Tony laughed. "Look Tony, I've got to go."

"Want me to take this thing for a test drive?"

"I think I can handle it myself." Bruce said.

"Well hurry back, I may not be able to stop myself." Tony sang before hanging up the phone. Bruce pocketed it and then looked over at Harper who was now helping a customer.

"Was that Tony?" Eleanor asked and Bruce nodded.

"Yeah."

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to tell me a package I ordered arrived."

"What's in it?"

"Some equipment for me." he replied and she nodded as she wiped off the cover of a Corduroy book.

"Do you like books?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, I do."

"Have you read this one?"

"Of course I have." he smiled. "When I was a kid."

"Did you read it to your kids?"

"I don't have any kids." he told her and she seemed to think for a moment.

"Are you married?"

"No, I'm not." he chuckled and she sighed.

"This was my favorite book."

"It's not anymore?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No." she told him. "I'm reading bigger books now."

"Like what?" he asked finding himself interested in the kid.

"Amber Brown is my favorite." she said as she picked up a book from under the counter. He looked at the cover and she pointed to the freckled faced girl on the cover. "That's Amber Brown, and that's her friend Justin, but he's not in all of the books because he moves to Alabama with his parents, and Amber is really sad, but she makes friends with this girl in her class, and she's okay but she still misses Justin." she explained and he chuckled lightly as the customer and Harper walked over.

"Can I do it Mommy?" Eleanor asked.

"Sure thing Kiddo." Harper said and handed the books to the young girl.

"Well, uh, I should get out of here." Bruce told the two.

"Right, okay well it was good to see you again." Harper shook his hand. "And thanks again for dropping off her backpack."

"No problem." Bruce told her as she continued to shake his hand.

"Oh- Sorry!" she laughed and he smiled as she let go of his hand. He laughed lightly and they were both quiet for an awkward moment and then Eleanor looked at the customer.

"Twenty three twenty." she said proudly, then frowned when the customer pulled out a credit card. "Mommy, credit card!"

"Let me help you kiddo." she said as she busied herself helping her daughter and Bruce made himself busy leaving.

When he got back to Stark Tower Bruce and Tony got back to work trying to make an even smaller Arc Reactor.

* * *

Over the next week the two of them worked on that. When Pepper got back from Tokyo Tony took Bruce with him to the airport where the two of them sat on the hood of Tony's car drinking coffee. "So," Tony said casually and Bruce hummed in response to show he was listening. "I got a rather interesting phone call the other day." Bruce sipped his decaf coffee and looked at Tony. "From a General Ross?" Bruce hesitated before nodding. "He _really_ doesn't know when to give up does he? Of course, the man hates me so maybe he just likes to mess with me, but boy-o-boy buddy does he have it out for us."

"Why would he hate _you_?"

"Well, after your little incident in Harlem," Bruce winced at the memory. "The uh, World security council had this little meeting and decided that they wanted the other guy- and by that, I don't mean the big green guy, but the other one, the Abomination- for the Avengers." he explained. "Now, Fury couldn't have that, so in his infinite wisdom, Coulson decided to have me go and "_persuade_" Ross to let us have him." Tony explained.

"What did you do?" Bruce asked.

"Well, I met him at the bar, and we talked a little bit, and then he tried to have me thrown out of the bar, so, I made a rather brilliantly places, last minute, impulse purchase-"

"You _bought_ the bar?"

"I bought the bar, and then I decided, why buy something you're never going to use?" Tony explained and Bruce stared at him expectantly. "So I had a last drink, closed it up and had it demolished two days later."

"You _destroyed_ General Ross' favorite bar?"

"I like to think of it as, I destroyed General Ross' favorite bar." Tony nodded as he looked at his friend.

"Jesus Christ." Bruce said with an astonished laugh.

"No no, Jesus didn't have the same amount of cash to burn- though I hear he was great at parties. You know that whole water to wine thing. Never been much of a wine person myself, if I want to get drunk, I don't want to spend all night doing it." Tony said and Bruce shook his head with a smile. "So, anyways, General Ross, the charmer, wanted me to give you a message." Tony continued as he handed Bruce his coffee cup. He pulled a paper out from his inner pocket and cleared his throat. "Alright, let's see here, uh, _blah blah blah_, super soldier program, _blah blah blah_, Army _blah_ _blah blah_ DNA, _blah blah blah_ horrible moustache- oh no wait, that was meant for me, how rude, uh, hm... Well, guess it wasn't important after all." Tony crumpled the paper up and threw it onto the ground in front of them.

"Maybe I should-"

"No, you really shouldn't." Tony didn't need to hear the end of that sentence to know it was going to end with Bruce offering himself as the sacrificial lamb. Probably literally.

"Tony you know he won't give up."

"Which is why I've arranged a meeting with him and the original super soldier to try to get him to back off." Tony said. "Or, I'm going to, when Pepper gets home." he explained and then looked into the sky. "There she is." he pointed to a plane and Bruce looked at it as it got closer.

"Hey Tony," Bruce said and Tony looked at his friend. "Thanks."

"Well what use is it having someone who finally understands what I say around, only to have them get taken away to Area 51, that'd kind of kill the party." Tony said as the plane started to land. For a few moments neither scientist could hear anything aside from the plane screeching to a halt, and then turning off before Tony handed his coffee to Bruce yet again and went to the car. He returned with a large poster board a moment later and sat back down on the hood of the car.

When the stairs were wheeled over to the plane and the door opened and the red haired ex secretary, ex CEO and current Partner of Stark Industries stepped into sight Tony casually flipped the sign over revealing a sign reading "_**Potts**_" in large cartoonish letters. "I had Dummy draw it up." Tony said when he caught Bruce reading it.

"No, it's nice." Bruce nodded and Tony nodded as Pepper thanked the pilot and the flight attendants before walking over to Tony.

"Did you do that yourself?" she asked and he scoffed lightly.

"No, Dummy did it. He was bored and needed the practice. He's been feeling a little left out since Bruce's been around, and you weren't around to-" Tony was cut off by Pepper pulling him into a kiss. After they broke apart Pepper turned to Bruce and smiled.

"How are you Bruce?" she hugged him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before Happy walked over with her luggage. "Oh, Happy let me unlock the trunk for you." she said as she walked around to the back of the car.

"You know since she just kissed me, and then kissed your cheek; it's pretty much like I just kissed your cheek." Tony said looking at Bruce who scoffed lightly and looked at his friend.

"Is that freaking you out Tony?" Bruce asked jokingly and Tony scoffed before he threw his arms around the other scientist's shoulders and kissed his cheek longly. Bruce pulled away after a moment at looked at his insane friend with a slightly amused, slightly astonished look.

"Freak you out?" Tony asked and Bruce rolled his eyes, used to the way Tony constantly invaded personal space and tried to get on people's nerves.

"I really wish I had my camera for that one." Pepper sighed from the other side of the car.

"Why, you want a picture of Bruce blushing?" Tony asked as he slid off of the hood of the car.

"Tony, stop terrorizing Bruce and get in the car." she ordered. He fake saluted and then got into the car before grabbing Pepper around the waist and pulling her into the back seat with a yelp. Bruce laughed and got into the front seat and was surprised when the window between the front and back seats opened and Tony leaned in the window, looking at his friend with mock interest.

"Any reason you're not hanging out with the cool kids?"

"I thought I'd give you and the prom queen some alone time." he said and Pepper laughed from the back and appeared next to Tony.

"I was not the prom queen." she said and Tony pushed her back into the back.

"Come on Bruce, don't make me drag you through the window." he said before he closed the window. Bruce looked at Happy who nodded. A moment later the window opened again. "Seriously, I will drag you through this window, ask Pepper."

"Do what he says Bruce!" she called before the window closed again.

"She had a few drinks on the flight home." Happy admitted and Bruce nodded before he got out of the front seat and went to the back and tried opening the door only to find it locked. He rolled his eyes and knocked on the window; Tony rolled it down and cleared his throat before smiling.

"Yes, do you have a reservation?" he asked with a grin.

"Either open the door or I get back in the front seat and buckle my seatbelt."

"Okay, you're no fun." Tony mumbled before opening the door and letting Bruce duck into the back of the limo they had driven to the airport. "Here you go," Tony handed Bruce a martini and then handed one to pepper before pouring one for himself. "Hey, Hogan?" Tony called as they started to drive. The window rolled down. "Can you take us to the tower, and then to the Rainbow Room?"

"I thought the Rainbow Room was closed while they looked for new Investors?" Pepper asked and Tony grinned.

"Well you're looking at him." he said and she grinned before kissing him again. "What better welcome home huh?" Tony asked with a grin.

"You sure you're not feeling jet lagged?" Tony asked Pepper who shook her head.

"Doesn't hit me for a few days Bruce. I slept most of the way here."

"And had a few vodka tonics?" Tony asked and she smiled. After stopping at Stark Tower they took the private elevator to the penthouse where Tony sent Pepper to get ready.

"I think I'm going to stay in tonight." Bruce said as he backed towards the elevator.

"Oh no you don't," Tony grabbed his friend's shoulder. "You are going, and you are going to have fun!"

"Tony, I hate crowds, you know that." Bruce said quickly.

"Come on I'll be right there with you, it'll be fun, and you need a night out!" Tony whined the last part and Bruce sighed deeply before nodding.

"Okay, fine, but I'm only staying for a little while." he said and Tony grinned.

"Good, now go get dressed. There are some clothes hanging up in your bathroom."

"Stop buying me clothes."

"Then get nicer things." Tony replied as Bruce walked to the elevator and went down to his floor. He found a simple black suit with a white shirt hanging in his bathroom, and knowing it wouldn't do him any good to argue with Tony on this point he changed into it and then went back upstairs where Tony was walking out of his room wearing a suit, a tie and had Pepper on his arm who was looking very pretty in silk black dress with a very conservative neckline, but when she turned around Bruce realized why Tony was smirking (More than usual), it was a halter dress revealing some of her bare back, where Tony's hand was firmly planted.

"Do you really want to go out after a flight?" Bruce asked as the three of them got into the elevator.

"Come on Bruce, it'll be fun!" Pepper insisted.

"Seriously, don't argue with tipsy Pepper, she's as bad as-"

"Sober Tony?" Bruce asked and Tony grinned before slapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Come on Brucie, you'll have more fun than you think." he promised.

* * *

When they got to the Rainbow Room Bruce groaned seeing paparazzi outside. He looked at Tony who shrugged. "Just smile and wave." he said simply.

"Who do I tell them I am?"

"What does it matter? The only people who know about the other guy aren't going to go running to the press." Tony scoffed. "Just say you're an old friend from out of town." he shrugged before the door was open. Tony got out first, waved to the reporters who went nuts seeing Tony Stark there, and then offered his hand to Pepper who took it and stepped out of the limo. Bruce followed after and looked to Pepper who smiled at him.

"Just stick with us Bruce, we've done this a lot." she said softly to him and he smiled at her. They walked down the row of flashing lights and Bruce thanked god he didn't have epilepsy, because he'd have had three seizures by then- each of which would have been well documented and probably front page news the next morning. When they finally got inside he let out the tense breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and Pepper touched his arm. "Not bad for your first time." she said.

"We've got to get Bruce to do that more often." Tony grinned and she rolled her eyes. They checked in with the party planner and gave their names- Tony Stark and Pepper Potts plus 1, were allowed to enter the elevator, and took the elevator to the 65th floor and stepped out into the hallway leading them to the Rainbow Room. They walked into the reopened restaurant and Bruce was stunned at how many people were there. From well known celebrities, to politicians to people with lots of money and nothing better to do with it, it was defiantly not the type of place he belonged.

The whole dinner was buffet style, even if it was the most expensive and overly indulgent buffet Bruce had ever seen, they had amazing seafood he had to admit. He and Pepper found themselves going back for the lobster puffs more than once. "Try the deviled eggs with the caviar." a voice to his right spoke up and Bruce looked over, surprised to see a very familiar blonde standing there in a deep purple silk top and a black velvet knee length skirt.

"Ms. Burke." he said and she looked at him before smiling.

"Mr. Banner, what a surprise." she smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I uh, I'm here with friends actually."

"Oh, that's right, you're working for Tony Stark." she nodded.

"Yeah, well, with him, but yeah. How about you?"

"Oh, uh, my sister, she's dating the son of a partner in a pretty big law firm."

"Isn't she a lawyer as well?" he asked and she nodded.

"That's right, she uh, mentioned threatening you." she said and Bruce nodded.

"She had every right to."

"Well, just so you know, my daughter absolutely loves you."

"She's a great kid."

"I'm pretty fond of her." Harper winked and then moved out of the way for a senator to get to the lobster cocktail.

"She's not here is she?" Bruce asked and Harper shook her head.

"No no, the teenager who lives downstairs is babysitting tonight." Harper said and Bruce nodded.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked and Harper smiled lightly.

"That would be nice." she said before following him to the bar.

"Can I get a-" he looked at her and she leaned forward.

"A Manhattan, please." she said to the bartender who nodded. "I know, it's not very feminine, but, I like it." she shrugged.

"Make it two." Bruce nodded to the bartender who nodded and set about mixing their drinks.

"So how long have you been here?" she asked and he sighed before looking at his watch.

"About an hour."

"How are you surviving?"

"Well I had Pepper keeping me company, but I don't know where she ran off to- actually, I should probably look into that..." he said thoughtfully.

"Tony Stark's girlfriend? Red hair, real pretty, wearing a black dress?"

"That's her."

"She's with Tony."

"How do you know-"

"Their drinks are on my tab." Tony's voice called to the bartender who nodded. "All night, anything those two get, it's on me." he continued before clapping Bruce on the shoulder. "See, I told you you'd be having fun." he said and Bruce smiled lightly before gesturing to Harper.

"Tony, this is Harper Burke, Eleanor's mother. Ms. Burke, this is Tony Stark, and his girlfriend, Pepper Potts."

"Nice to meet you." Harper shook Tony's hand, and then Pepper's.

"It's great to meet you." Pepper grinned. "Who's Eleanor?"

"My daughter, she was in a class who went on a field trip to Stark Tower and ended up getting locked in a closet. Luckily Mr. Banner was kind enough to bring her home." Harper explained and Pepper promptly smacked Tony on the arm.

"Ow."

"You never tell me anything!"

"I told you we had an incident."

"We could have been sued!" she said and he rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, like she was going to sue us, did the thought cross your mind?" he asked and Harper looked at him.

"Several times actually." she said and Bruce looked at her in surprise before she smiled a slightly impish smile. Bruce smiled lightly and Tony shook his head.

"Who are we suing?" Harper's sister walked over and smiled at Bruce. "Hey, Mr. Banner-"

"Why does everyone keep calling you "_Mister_"?" Tony asked Bruce who rolled his eyes. "Doesn't anyone know about your several Doctorates?"

"I tend not to talk about them until someone asks." Bruce answered his drunken friend. "Does it bother you?"

"Yes, actually, it does." Tony said simply and Tony shook his head.

"Actually, I knew about them." Loretta said holding up her hand.

"How did you know?"

"I Googled him, duh." she said rolling her eyes. Bruce chuckled nervously and Tony looked at him before handing the drinks the bartender was holding out expectantly to Bruce and Harper.

"So, who are you?"

"I'm Harper's sister, Loretta Burke."

"You're the lawyer."

"How did you know that?"

"I Jarvised you." he replied even though she had no idea who or what Jarvis was.

* * *

**_Like I said before, hope you guys are enjoying this so far! _**

**_Please don't forget to review!_ **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey ya'll, kind of a short, filler chapter, but I hope you like it! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. The day I do is the day I write one of my OC's into a movie or comic book.** _

* * *

The following Tuesday after the party Tony was in his office when the phone rang. "Ms. Burke to see you sir." his secretary said.

"Oh good, let her in." Tony replied and stood up as Loretta Burke walked into the office.

"Mr. Stark, nice to see you again." Loretta said as they shook hands.

"Good to see you too." he replied and looked over her shoulder to see a bored looking Eleanor sitting in one of the chairs. "Hey Kiddo." he said and she smiled at him.

"Hi Mr. Stark." she replied.

"We'll just be a little while." her Aunt Lori said and Eleanor sighed before pulling a book out of her backpack. When the door closed she started to read for a few minutes before she dug around in her backpack and found the small change purse with the money she had earned working with her mom.

"Excuse me?" Eleanor walked over to the secretary who looked at her curiously. "Is there a vending machine or something?"

"There's one right down the hall, in the break room just turn left out the doors and you'll find it." she replied.

"Thank you." she said as she picked up her backpack. She walked out of the door and waited for it to close before she went to the break room. After buying herself a bag of pretzels and a bottle of fruit punch she walked down the hall, huffing a sigh at the door to get to Tony's office, before she decided to keep walking down the hall. She took a drink from her fruit punch as she walked and sighed when she spilled a little bit on her shirt. She walked down the hall, looking for a ladies bathroom, passing a few employees who cast her odd looks but didn't say anything. She looked down at her feet as she walked after one employee gave her a particularly puzzled look. She rounded a corner, and because she was looking down she crashed right into someone. "I'm sorry!" the little girl gasped as the person she ran into yelped.

"Are you okay?" a nice female voice asked and she looked up to see a tall woman with red hair looking down at her with concern.

"I'm okay, I'm just looking for the bathroom." she said as the woman helped her up.

"Well, you're close." the woman said before she led Eleanor down the hall. "What's your name?"

"Eleanor Reed."

"Is your mom Harper Burke?" the woman asked after a moment and Eleanor nodded.

"How did you know that?"

"I met her the other day. You look just like her." the woman told her. "My name is Pepper Potts."

"Do you work for Mr. Stark?"

"I work with Mr. Stark. Is your mom here?"

"No, my Aunt Lori is having a meeting with Mr. Stark right now." she said as they approached the bathroom. "Does fruit punch come out?" she asked and Pepper looked down at her before sighing.

"Maybe we should put some baking soda on it." she said before leading the girl to the elevator. They stepped in and took it up to the penthouse, and then to the living room and kitchen level. Tony being Tony had designed a five story penthouse at the top of Stark Tower. They stepped into the kitchen and Pepper picked Eleanor up and put her on the counter. She got a paper tower and wet it a little before putting baking soda on it and started to dab at the fruit punch stain on Eleanor's top.

As the two sat there talking the elevator door opened and Bruce walked in, reading something. He glanced up briefly before pausing and looking back up again at Eleanor. "Making this a habit?" he asked and she smiled.

"My Aunt Lori is downstairs talking to Mr. Stark."

"And you decided to run away?" he asked and she shook her head, her blonde braids flipping over her shoulders.

"I spilled fruit punch on my uniform, and they cost a lot of money, so I was looking for the girls room to wash it off and Mrs. Potts was helping me." she said as she looked at Pepper.

"Oh, it's just Miss, Sweetie. Ms. Potts." Pepper said with a small laugh.

"I have something for you." Eleanor said to Bruce who raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he asked and she nodded. She took off her backpack and opened it. Pepper went to wash the baking soda off of her hands while Eleanor dug through the backpack, and pulled out a purple flier.

"There's a festival outside of my mom's store." she said and he smiled lightly.

"Is that so?" he asked and she nodded with a grin.

"We're gonna have a carnival game." she beamed.

"Excuse me, Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark's meeting is over and Ms. Burke would like to know where her niece is."

"I'll take her down, I've got to go talk to Tony about something." Pepper said.

"Bye Mister- Uh, Dr. Banner." Eleanor said as Pepper helped her down from the counter. They left and Bruce looked at the flier again before putting it on the counter and going to make himself something to eat.

* * *

When Saturday came around he walked into the kitchen to see Tony and Pepper sitting there already. "Bruce, this is an intervention." Tony said as Bruce walked over to the coffee pot.

"Yeah me and Pepper already discussed it, we let you think you're giving me an intervention, and then we turn it around and talk to you and let you know, Tony, we care." Bruce said quickly and Tony laughed.

"Tony was invited to a carnival." Pepper told Bruce who looked at the two. "He thinks it would be a good team building exercise if we went."

"The team's not here." Bruce pointed out.

"Actually, Ms. Romanoff and Mr. Barton are pulling up now." Jarvis said and Tony grinned.

"So where's this carnival at?" Bruce asked.

"Actually, it's pretty close to your little girlfriend's mom's store."

"That's just twisted." Bruce said and Tony smirked. "What did you find the flier or something?"

"There's a flier? The sister lawyer invited me." Tony said and a few minutes later the elevator opened revealing the two SHIELD assassins. They walked in and made themselves some coffee before joining the discussion while they waited for Steve to show up. Thor was still on Asgard and no one really knew when to expect him back. When Steve finally got there they took a few cars and drove over to the carnival, why anyone decided it was a good idea to listen to Tony was the furthest thought from anyone's mind.

Natasha and Clint had just returned from a mission and were on forced leave, even though the two claimed they were good, they always had to be forced to take some time between missions, unless it was something huge, like the Loki incident nine months prior, then they took the time, no arguments made. Steve was thinking about his decision to become active in missions and things again, and whether he was ready for it or not, while Bruce's concentration was on the fact that General Ross had called again. Tony hadn't told him, but judging by the conversation he had overheard, there wasn't anyone else it could be. Tony's concentration was on the mess Dummy had made in his office, and was wondering if maybe he should have left the stupid robot back in Malibu- of course, if he had, he wouldn't be surprised if the entire mansion would slip into the sea. He rolled his eyes at the thought, and then looked at Pepper who was smiling at the kids running around.

It was a sweet carnival, obviously aimed more towards kids with the carnival part, but some of the games were pretty adult too, like the dunk tank, or the pellet gun shooting out a star game. It was near the apple cider booth- which offered two types of apple cider, kid's cider and adult cider, everyone except for Bruce, Pepper, and Steve opted for the adult cider, but everyone enjoyed the hot treat, they were chatting when Bruce ad Pepper heard a familiar voice calling them. "You came!" the rambunctious eight year old shouted when she saw Bruce. He smiled seeing her, she had her face painted like a cat he realized as she ran over to him and threw her arms around his middle. "I'm so happy to see you!" she told him before she turned around and hugged Pepper and then Tony, the other three Avengers stared at the little girl for a moment before looking at the good doctor.

"Long lost daughter Doc?" Clint asked and Bruce chuckled.

"Long story." he said before pointing to her. "Steve, Natasha, Clint, this is Eleanor, Elle, this is Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. They're friends."

"It's nice to meet you." she told them before looking up at Bruce. "You should come say hi to my mom, she's running our booth, but Mr. Laurel is trying to get her to run the dunk tank."

"Who's Mr. Laurel?" Tony asked with a small laugh.

"He's the head of the business association chapter my mom belongs to. The carnival was his idea." she said as she slipped her hand into Bruce's. "Guess what?" she asked Bruce as she pulled him along.

"What?" he asked with a small chuckle, the other Avengers hanging back and watching as the Doctor easily followed the little girl to where she was leading him.

"Who'd have guessed he'd be good with kids?" Clint asked and Natasha shrugged.

"She seems like quite the precocious child." Steve said and Natasha nodded.

"Oh she is. You should have seen her when she spilled a drink on her school uniform. She wanted to wash it out immediately because of how expensive uniforms are."

"Well school uniforms can be pretty expensive." Clint agreed.

"I think the point is; what kid thinks about things like that?" Natasha asked.

"Ones that have to." Steve spoke up. When they caught up with Bruce he and his little friend were talking to the ever cheerful Harper Burke who was in the process of getting her face painted by her sister.

"Who's running the shop?" Bruce asked.

"Oh don't worry, my employees are in there, though- Oh, what time is it?"

"Uh, it's almost eleven thirty, why?"

"Oh, I've got to go- Eleven thirty is story time, but if you're around later, I'll see you then." she smiled at him and he nodded.

"She seems nice." Steve spoke up and Bruce nodded.

"We keep bumping into each other." Bruce said, not really feeling like explaining everything to the whole team. When Harper finished reading Pippi Longstocking to the children they all went back outside to enjoy the carnival more. At that point Clint had won a fish and Steve was holding a stuffed bear almost bigger than Eleanor. He would continentally forget it at the store later that day when they left.

"The kids are having a great time." Harper was saying to Pepper who nodded.

"They really are, are you having a good time?"

"Oh of course. You should come around sometime in December; we do this great thing, the 25 Days of Christmas, where every day until Christmas we have a different activity from six to seven at night for the kids. Parents love it because it's free and the kids love it because it gets them excited for Christmas." Harper was explaining.

"And you love it because they're obligated to buy Christmas Presents from you." Tony said and Harper rolled her eyes.

"I love it because it makes the kids happy." she said as she handed him a cookie off of a plate on the counter. "Regardless of where their Christmas presents come from."

"What's your angle?" he asked.

"Peace on earth and goodwill towards men?" she asked with a small smile as she stepped around him to put the stool she had been sitting on away.

"Sexist." he said and she rolled her eyes.

"Tony, zip it." Pepper said to her boyfriend who rolled his eyes. "Would you like to come over to dinner sometime?" Pepper asked Harper who smiled.

"You would think you people would be getting tired of seeing me considering how much we keep running into each other." she said as she looked at the front of the book her daughter was reading, and then kissed her head. "Would this be a children free environment? Because it's hard to find a babysitter these days."

"Of course not, Elle is more than welcome." Pepper said as Bruce frowned lightly.

"I thought you said your neighbor liked to watch her?" he asked and Harper nodded.

"Yeah, well, uh, Elle and I are moving." she said and Tony exchanged a quick look with Pepper.

"Where to?" Pepper asked.

"Just upstairs actually." she said with a grin. "I lived in the apartment above the store when I was a kid, and then someone rented it for years, and they finally moved out and the landlord offered it to me before putting it on the market, he knew I wanted it so much." she told them. "Actually I'm having a moving in party next weekend, you guys are invited of course." she told them and Pepper looked at Tony with a shrug.

"Uh, actually, we'll be out of town, but Bruce will be there." Tony said quickly and smiled at Bruce who looked at his friend quickly.

"Uh, I'll be there." he nodded and she smiled.

"Great." she smiled at him.

* * *

"Hey Cap," Tony said to Steve later when they were at the Tower who looked at him warily. He was getting to the end of his Tony rope, there was really only so much of each other they could stand, and though they were getting better, it was still tense at times. "I was wondering if you'd be able to talk to an Army General for me?" Tony asked.

"Why can't you do it Stark?" Captain America asked.

"Well aside from the fact that he hates me, I figured you'd want to know, he's after Bruce." Tony told him and Steve looked at him after a moment.

"General Ross?" he asked and Tony nodded.

"Yeah, he's been calling the tower nonstop. Keeps trying to slip me up and get Bruce to answer the phone, doesn't he know Jarvis tells me who's calling every time? Even with a blocked number, Jarvis can figure it out."

"Isn't that an invasion of privacy Stark?" Steve asked.

"Well he's trying to invade Bruce's privacy and turn him into a human pin cushion." Tony retorted. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the Other Guy won't like having a human ear growing off of his back."

"What are you on about Stark?"

"Look, just meet with the guy, talk to him and ask him to _please _leave Bruce the _hell _alone." Tony said to Steve who sighed, but nodded.

"Alright." he said to Tony who stuck out his hand, surprising Steve.

"Thanks Cap." Tony said as he shook the Super Soldier's hand, giving Steve a quick glimpse into how serious Tony felt about the situation. "Who wants shawarma?" he called to the living room full of Avengers who all looked back at him. Bruce caught Steve's eye as Steve walked over to the couch and Steve nodded to the Doctor.

"You don't have to talk to him." Bruce told Steve who shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I'll talk to him." he told Bruce who gave him a small smile.

* * *

_**Like I said, filler chapter, I know. We get to see General Ross in the next chapter, and possibly see how desperate he is to get his hands on Bruce. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! **_

_**Please don't forget to review!** _


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey ya'll, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it! The next chapter will have Bruce and Harper together. I know I have been going a bit more slowly with the romance aspect of their relationship, but it's harder when there's a child involved. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. My wish is to one day direct a Marvel movie. Then my life would be complete.** _

* * *

Tony wasn't surprised to find Steve working out in the gym at Stark Tower. He sat down on the edge of the boxing ring and looked at Steve who was pummeling the punching bag. "So, how'd it go?" Tony asked casually, and Steve grunted in response.

"I have never," he huffed between punches. "Met a man," he continued to punch the bag. "Who abuses his power more than that General-" he punched the punching bag off of its hook, and sent it flying across the room. It slammed into the wall and he panted, before looking down. He looked over at Tony who was leaning next to the towel and water Steve had put out. Tony picked up the towel and threw it to Steve who caught it easily and wiped his brow.

"So I take it, he's still after the good doctor?"

"With a vengeance." Steve grumbled.

"I sent you in there to knock him off of Bruce's trail!"

"There's no talking to that man!" Steve retorted. "I have half a mind to contact my friends in the Army and tell them what he's doing!"

"Let's not go that far yet, but we can keep that for the future if we need to." Tony said to Steve who nodded. "What happened? Tell me everything."

* * *

Steve walked into the office Tony had let him use to meet with General Ross; it was sparsely furnished with pale blue walls and looked extremely boring. Steve wasn't sure what the office was used for, but it would do. He didn't have to wait long, a few minutes after letting Tony's secretary upstairs- he was on the second floor, General Ross didn't have access to any floor higher and no access to floors lower than the ground floor- the door opened and General Ross stepped into the room.

Surprise crossed the General's features, he hadn't been expecting Steve who stood up and offered his hand. "General Ross," he said politely. "I'm Captain Rogers."

"Of course, I- It's an honor to meet you Captain." General Ross said as he shook Steve's hand.

"Please, the honor is mine, I've read your file. Quite impressive."

"I'm sorry, forgive me Captain, but I was under the impression I would be having a meeting with Dr. Banner today?"

"I'm afraid not." Steve said simply.

"I'm sure with everything that has happened in the past nine months, you've come to like him, but he really isn't someone you can trust. Dr. Banner is dangerous- that thing-"

"Saved New York." Steve cut off General Ross. "I've met the Hulk, I've fought alongside him, and I can tell you without a doubt, when Dr. Banner is in control-"

"In control?" General Ross laughed. "That thing is the exact opposite of control, that thing just proves how little control Dr. Banner has. Now, yes, he did fight alongside you in the whole battle in New York, but, that was a fluke, I guarantee it. You're lucky that thing decided aliens were a more interesting target than you guys, though he did seem pretty keen on destroying the Iron Man."

"He Saved Tony." Steve said quickly. "After the portal was closed and tony had lost power, he was surely going to die had it not been the Hulk catching him."

"All I know is there's two sides to any story."

"And Stark would gladly tell you the same thing I am." Steve said. "Dr. Banner is a well functioning member of our team, and he's going to stay one."

"Look, Captain, I sympathize with you, but what happens when that thing comes out here? You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Actually we do." Steve said, realizing there really was no talking to this man. "We've prepared for that in ways you couldn't begin to imagine."

"None of it will work." Steve had a sudden memory of the chaos in the helicarrier when Dr. Banner had lost control, but he quickly pushed that from his mind.

"You don't know him like we do." Steve said. "He's grown and changed since the Harlem incident."

"We have Agent Blonsky, who is much bigger and stronger than the Hulk, and we've been able to keep him under control since then, the Hulk won't be a problem."

"Until he is. And he reacts badly to you when he's calm, what do you think the Hulk will do when he sees you?" Steve asked. "If you try to take him, we've got friends all over who will do everything in their power, and then some to stop you."

"You think Tony's little friends are going to scare me? I'll do whatever it takes to get that thing where it belongs."

"And where is that? General?"

"In a cell until we can get what it is we need."

"His DNA?" Steve asked, before standing up. "Well I can tell you, I will do everything in my power to make sure you never lay a hand on him."

"And I can tell you I will go above your head to make sure I do."

"I can't help but wonder," Steve said as he looked at General Ross square in the eye. "If your boss knows what you spend your time doing? Dr. Banner told me the way you convinced him to do your little tests was telling him you wanted to make humans immune to Gamma radiation. Does the Army even know you're trying to build more super soldiers? Do they know what it is they're giving you money for?" he looked into General Ross' eyes. "I take it from your look, they have no idea what it is you've been up to." he crossed his arms. "I want you out of this building, and I don't want to hear another word of you trying to get hold of Bruce, or coming anywhere near Manhattan again, if I do, I'll be forced to contact some old Army friends." he said darkly to General Ross whose chest was swelling up like a bullfrog.

General Ross turned and walked out of the office and Steve followed him to the elevator. He pushed the button and when the doors opened General Ross stepped in. Steve stuck his hand out and caught the doors, stopping them from closing. "Jarvis," Steve said into the empty elevator. "Don't let General Ross anywhere but the ground floor, and don't let him anywhere but out of the building."

General Ross stared at him like he was nuts until the cool voice of the AI responded. "Mr. Stark has already instructed the same Sir."

"What the-" General Ross looked around the enclosed elevator before Steve withdrew his hand and let the doors close. He was so frustrated, that man was obviously abusing his power as an Army General- he didn't deserve any of his metals or stars, and to go after an innocent man like he was- he was being a bully, and even after all this time, the one thing Steve could not stand, was a bully. He went down to the training room, using the elevator that Tony liked to call his private elevator, but all of the Avengers had access to it.

He got a water bottle and towel from the closet and put them on the side of the boxing ring before taping up his hands, and started with the jump rope. After jumping rope for a little while he moved on to push ups, however after 130 he found he was still pissed off so he moved to something else. The Punching bag. And after punching it for about five minutes, that's when Tony walked in.

* * *

"Alright, I get it." Tony said and then sighed.

"Should we tell Dr. Banner?"

"How would that conversation go? Hey buddy, so Steve had a little chat with your old friend General Ross, and uh, apparently he's not going to stop trying to get his slimy hands on you, so uh, just thought I'd let you know, how's your day going?" Tony asked sarcastically. "No, I don't think so."

"We can't just keep him in the dark about this." Steve said and Tony stood there for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Wow, talk about role reversal, sorry, is this how you sound most of the time? And that's what I sound like? Wow, I'm right. I'll tell him." Steve rolled his eyes as Tony walked out of the room, then paused and turned back into the room. "You owe me a new punching bag."

"You never even use it!"

"Happy uses it!" he called before walking to the elevator. Bruce was upstairs, taking a lunch break. Pepper must have had Jarvis set an alarm like she liked to do. It went off every five minutes, until either Bruce or Tony went to get something to eat at what she considered, a civilized time.

"The meeting didn't go well." Was the first thing out of Bruce's mouth.

"Nope. But we did find out the Army has no idea what Ross has been up to, so, were thinking, unless he wants us blabbing to the Army about what it is he's really doing, he'll back off for awhile."

"Are you seriously talking about blackmailing an Army General?"

"Yup." Tony said simply and Bruce shook his head.

"Tony, you can't just expect things to go the way you want them to all the time."

"Of course not, that's why I've got the suit, why the Cap's got the Shield, why the bird has his little arrows, Thor's got the lightning, why Natasha's got her guns and why you've got the big guy. We're on your side buddy, and nothing some General who doesn't want to play by the rules says can change that." He clapped his friend on the shoulder before he opened the fridge. "Hey do we still have any of that pizza?"

"Second shelf." Bruce said with a small smile.

"Face it," Tony said with a mouth full of pizza. "You're stuck with us." he grinned and Bruce smiled. "Come on, I'll have my secretary cancel my appointments and we'll go work on ways to get hack the Army's database."

"I'm assuming you've done it before." Bruce said as he walked along with Tony.

"Sure, a couple of time." Tony grinned. "It'll be like hacking SHIELD all over again- speaking of which, Steve should be calling Fury right about now to tell him about his little meeting."

"_Grrreat_." Bruce sighed.

* * *

Over in Brooklyn Harper was packing up the rest of her kitchen with the help of both her sister and her daughter. "Don't forget to put newspaper inside the cups as well Elle." she said to her daughter who nodded.

"I know Mommy." Elle said as she shoved some newspaper into a cup to prove her point.

"Hey bug, how'd you feel about pizza for dinner?" Lori asked and Elle grinned.

"Yeah!" she said happily. "With olives and mushrooms!"

"And pineapple?"

"Yeah!"

"You two eat the weirdest pizza!" Harper laughed as she continued to pull down books from the hallway bookshelf and fill up boxes with them.

"Doesn't matter, we're ordering it." Lori said as she dialed the number on her cell phone. Harper shook her head with a laugh as she continued to fill up the boxes.

"Hey Elle," Elle looked up from where she was wrapping glasses. "Remember this book? The Paper Bag Princess? It was your favorite."

"I remember that!" Eleanor said with a grin. "What was the other book you used to read to me? The one with the little boy and his mommy?"

"Oh you mean," Harper scooped her wriggling daughter into her arms. "I love you forever I love you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be." she said as Elle tried to get out of her mom's arms.

"Get off!" she squealed before going completely limp making Harper groan.

"Don't put her down!" Lori said before she walked over and started to tickle Elle's sides.

"NO!" she shrieked as the two older women laughed almost as hard as the eight year old. When they were done torturing her they let her go, allowing her to sprint back to the kitchen and continue to wrap glasses in paper. She shot a glare to the two sisters who were still giggling as they picked themselves off of the floor.

"Was that a smile I saw?" Harper asked slyly and Elle ducked her head quickly, trying really hard not to smile.

"...No."

"I think it was." Lori said and Elle started to scoot away. After another round of torturing the eight year old Lori went to pick up the pizza while Harper poured Elle a glass of ice tea and sat her down in front of the TV.

"What should be the last movie we watch here?" she asked and Elle looked at her pleadingly. "Oh go ahead." she sighed. Elle jumped up and ran to get her well worn copy of The Sound of Music, she popped it into the DVD player and it was just after the song Maria when Lori came back.

"Again?" she whined as Harper pulled down a stack of paper plates from the top of the fridge.

"Are you kidding, I'm starting to have some very disturbing dreams about Captain Von Trapp." Harper admitted. "It's like if I start dating I won't be able to have sex without hearing him sing Edelweiss."

"Well, you'd better make sure you want to climb that mountain first." Lori winked and Harper lightly hit her arm with a laugh. "Make sure you sing him a song to let him know about your favorite things." she winked and Harper shook her head before bringing a slice of pizza to Elle who was oblivious to the adults joking.

"How're you and James by the way?"

"Oh fine." Lori nodded. "He wants me to move in with him."

"Are you going to?"

"Ehh." she shrugged.

"What are you talking about ehh, you two have been together for forever."

"That's just it. I think it's been going on too long, you know. I mean, he and I started dating because it was convenient, but we're not really into each other. Not like you and Josh were."

"Oh please, if he were so into me, why the hell wouldn't he let me give his daughter his real last name, instead of his middle name?"

"Well..."

"And why doesn't he give her a phone call- Ever?"

"Okay, he's a sonuvabitch, we know it, but before, you guys were cute."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Harper rolled her eyes. "No, I've given up on that. I'd give anything to have what you and James have."

"What? Someone to turn on the espresso maker when you're running late and talk litigation with? You can have him, I'm bored!" Lori sighed and Harper chuckled lightly.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah baby girl?"

"Are we going to have my birthday at the new apartment?"

"You betcha."

"Oh!" she said suddenly and dropped her pizza back onto her plate as she went running to her bedroom.

"Oh to have that energy again." Lori whispered and Harper nodded.

"I almost forgot, the school has this acting class after school," Elle ran back into the room with a yellow flier. "They're doing the Sound of Music this year! Can I do acting mommy? Please?"

"Uh, we'll see sweetie, let me look into it, okay?" she asked and Elle nodded. "Look, things are busy right now with the move, but remind me later and we'll figure something out."

"Okay mommy." she grinned and went back to the table to watch her movie and eat her pizza.

"What are you going to do about this acting thing?" Lori asked Harper after Elle had fallen asleep on the couch in front of the TV. The two women had let the movie keep playing and were finishing packing the last of everything up.

"I don't know, it's probably expensive."

"Well her birthday is coming up. Maybe you can convince Josh to pay for it."

"Doubtful, but I can try." Harper sighed and then held up a gaudy pink shot glass with spinning pink dice on it. "This is it."

"You're gonna do shots till you have the money?" Lori asked. "Because trust me kiddo, I've tried that- It never works. And if it does, you never want to remember where the money comes from..."

"No you exhibitionist."

"Ooh, big word!"

"This is the last thing I have to pack, and then, I'm done."

"Well shit. It almost feels wrong packing it without using it first."

"I agree. There's a bottle of vodka in the freezer."

"Are you bringing the stove with you?"

"I wish." Harper sighed as she patted the top of the yellow stove. "I'm gonna miss old blue."

"Either you're colorblind or-"

"Elle gave the stove that nickname. When she was learning colors, she thought everything was blue. The name kind of just stuck." Harper said. Lori filled the shot glass up and then held out the bottle of vodka.

"To new beginnings."

"In familiar places." The two clinked drinks, and Lori took a mouthful of vodka and Harper took the shot from the ridiculous pink shot glass.

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_**Hope you liked it! **_

_**Please don't forget to review!** _


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey ya'll, I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this chapter posted, but guess what? I got the job I wanted! Yaay! I'm now working the fragrance counter at a at a department store, which means when I go home I go home smelling like at least 12 different perfumes, each one more expensive than the last. I smell like money! Just kidding, well, not about the job part, I really am happy to have to job, I love it so much. Anyways, here's the chapter, I hope you like it! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Bruce Banner, that honor goes to Marvel- and I guess since Disney owns Marvel, Disney too. Disney's buying all of the geeks!** _

* * *

Bruce didn't know what he was expecting when Harper invited him to a party, but he knew he hadn't expected what he was walking through. For a woman with a daughter, Harper sure kept some strange friends, artist types he guessed, it was the only way to describe the people and to be honest, they were the last kind of people he expected her to hang around with. He expected bookish types who would be sitting around the apartment drinking wine and asking her where she bought everything, with their kids- Well, there were kids, and there was wine, but it still wasn't what he expected. "Bruce!" he was greeted by his young friend who had her blonde hair loose and wild, she ran over to him and hugged him around his middle.

"Hey Elle, having fun?" he asked and she grinned nodding as he looked around the semi dark room. "Really?" he muttered to himself.

"Look, I got my hands done." she said holding up her hands. He had to kneel down to see better, but someone had painted the small girl's hands with henna, in very complex designs.

"They look great." he said and she nodded.

"Bo says in India when a woman wears henna she's getting married, and they put it all over her hands."

"That's true." Bruce said and she smiled.

"Nora, sweetie, who's your friend?" an attractive man with a British accent walked over to the two. Bruce straightened up and noticed the ink stains on the man's hands.

"Bruce, this is Bo, he did my henna and he lived in India for a year. Bo, this is Bruce, we're getting married." Elle introduced the two and slipped her hand into Bruce's making Bo laugh.

"Such a heartbreaker." he said as he put his hand over his heart. "Nice to meet you mate."

"You too." Bruce shook Bo's hand. "Elle, have you seen your mom?"

"Harper's outside." Bo said to Bruce who looked over at him and nodded.

"Thanks." he said and Elle pulled him along with her.

"I want to show you my room!" they paused at a large window showing a small outdoor area where people were either sitting or standing, almost everyone was drinking, all around a small clay chiminea. Harper was sitting on a wicker loveseat with her sister, the both of them laughing as another woman told them a story. She looked up and caught Bruce's eye and she smiled at him. He smiled back lightly before Elle pulled him along to the hallway.

They went into a room where a group of children were, one of the kids who must have been about twelve or thirteen was showing some two kids how to play an acoustic guitar while three others were sitting on the floor, talking and listening to music, and one single little girl was sitting on the other side of the room, playing with a doll. All of the kids ranged from around four or five to the twelve or thirteen year old. The youngest looking, a little girl of around four years old with long loose curly hair jumped up and ran over to Elle.

"Were they being mean to you Ophelia?" Elle asked as she dropped Bruce's hand. Ophelia nodded into Elle's stomach and she turned her glare on the three sitting on the floor.

"She's too little." the girl with black curly hair who looked just like little Ophelia said. "She's annoying."

"That's not very nice." Bruce said and the kids all looked at him.

"Who's he?" one of the kids learning to play the guitar finally asked.

"This is Bruce, he's my friend." Elle said. "I'm showing him my room, and if you're going to be in my room, you have to be nice."

"Ophelia, come over here and sit with us, it's fine." the thirteen year old said.

"Hear that? Go sit with Jackson." Elle said to Ophelia who nodded and ran over to the bed and climbed onto it. "This is my room; my mommy says I can paint it purple if I want to." Elle looked at Bruce who smiled at the young girl.

"I'm sure it'll look nice."

"And those are all my books." Elle pointed at a bookshelf and he nodded. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked suddenly and he looked down at her. "I forgot, I'm supposed to be a better host."

"Trust me," he said as she looked worried. "You're doing just fine." her face relaxed somewhat, and then she pulled him from that room to the kitchen, where a lot of people were. A red headed woman was cooking, and loading everyone up with tons of basil pasta, and mixed wild rice or stews, all of it Bruce noticed was meat free.

"Nora sweetie, where's your mom?" the woman cooking asked.

"She's outside talking to Ramona."

"Okay honey, just making sure." she turned her attention to Bruce. "Hi, who are you?"

"I'm Bruce." he said to her and she nodded.

"Good to know ya." she told him. "I'm Fern, you look like you could use a drink." she picked up a glass- not a wine glass, just a glass- and filled it with red wine out of a bottle he had never seen before hand handed it to him. "There ya go, enjoy sweetie." she told him. He didn't feel like arguing, and noticed his only ally had ditched him so he stood there awkwardly as people started talking to Fern. He turned around to move out of the kitchen and found himself face to face with Harper instead.

"Hey!" she grinned at him before standing on her tip toes to throw her arms around him. I'm so glad you could make it." she said, tilting her face slightly so she speaking only to him. He felt his heart rate increase a little, but he told himself he was fine and smiled at her when she pulled away.

"I'm going to be honest; this is not what I expected at all."

"Oh, I know, no one ever does." she shook her head with a laugh. "But well- I grew up with these people, believe it or not." she grinned. "Oh, excuse me for a second." she put her hands on his hips and moved him slightly as she stepped around him, and went to the refrigerator. She returned with a bottle of hard apple cider and twisted the cap off. "I know it's totally girly." she rolled her eyes, but took a drink. "But I love the idea of getting drunk off of apple juice. So how've you been? Have you met everyone?"

"I've uh, been fine, and I've met a few people. Elle was introducing me a little bit earlier."

"Oh my god, you made it!" Loretta said loudly, even over the music that was playing, no one had any trouble hearing Loretta. She walked over to Bruce and gave him a quick hug before looking at her sister.

"Bo is looking for you."

"Thanks." Harper nodded, before touching Bruce's arm. "I'm just talking to Bruce a little bit, so, go, go on." she waved her hand at her sister who nodded and walked away. "Sorry, she's a little bit drunk." she took another drink of her apple cider and then chuckled. "And so am I. I'm sorry Bruce, I should have warned you, I've got weird friends."

"No, don't apologize for your friends." he shook his head. "You've met mine."

"Oh, they're not bad, besides, if they're weird, where do I fall in?"

"You?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, I mean, we are friends aren't we?" she asked and he nodded.

"Of course." he said quickly, though to be honest he had never really thought about it. He wasn't even sure he would be going that night until Tony cut off all of the power to the labs and told Bruce if he didn't leave the tower he'd invite Fury to dinner, which Bruce was almost tempted to stay, just to see, but he decided it would probably be best to listen and leave. Thinking about it now though, he realized he was glad she considered herself his friend. He had never made friend easily, though he couldn't shake the strange feeling he got when she called herself his friend, almost, disappointment. But he had nothing to be disappointed about, so why was he-

"Wow, you're thinking hard." Harper said and he looked back at her.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's a party, quit concentrating so hard, you'll light your head on fire." she told him and he smiled lightly.

"Sorry, I was just thinking what Tony would say if he knew how awkward I'm being." he told her and she laughed.

"You're not awkward Bruce." she shook her head with a laugh. "You're doing fine." she grinned at him and he looked at her. She looked like she wanted to say something, but was cut off by Bo walking over to the two.

"There you are." he said and Harper smiled at him.

"Hey Bo." she smiled.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked and smiled at Bruce. "Just a moment, I promise."

"Sure, I'll be here." Bruce nodded. They left and he stood there for a moment before he took a drink of the wine he was holding. It was very strong for wine, but he took another drink. A moment later he felt a tug on the leg of his pants. He turned around and looked down to see Ophelia standing there looking up at him. "Hey." he said to her and she stared up at him. She lifted her arms up and he understood her meaning, he set down the glass of wine and punched up the little girl who leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Right now?" he asked and she nodded. "Where are your parents?" he asked and she shrugged. He sighed and then carried her to the bathroom, and set her down. "I'm going to wait right out here, okay?" he asked and she nodded. He closed the door when she went inside and waited outside of the bathroom. After a few minutes he spotted Elle. "Elle." he called her and she looked at him. She walked over and smiled.

"What's up buttercup?" she asked with a grin and he smiled lightly.

"Will you check on Ophelia?" he asked and she nodded before slipping into the bathroom. She came back out a second later with the little girl.

"She said she said your name, but you didn't hear her." she told him and he looked down at the little girl.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." he told her and she nodded before hugging his legs and then running back to Elle's room, with Elle following.

"Can I just say, you really surprise me." Bruce looked over at Loretta who was leaning in the archway separating the hallway from the living room.

"How so?" he asked.

"Well number one, you're here." she said and he nodded. "And uh, number two, you're not drinking, I don't know, I guess that doesn't surprise me as much, I feel like it should, but it doesn't." she shrugged. "And then you totally got all I don't know, parental just then." she chuckled before downing the rest of the drink on her glass. "You just keep on surprising me there Brucie." she patted his chest drunkly before she moved around him and walked into the bathroom.

He walked over to the outside area and took a seat in the love seat he had seen Harper and Lori sitting in earlier. He said down and picked up another piece of wood after seeing the fire was starting to go out, he set it into the chiminea, the fire caught on the bark on the hunk of wood and he leaned back in the seat when Harper walked over to him holding two bottles. He looked up as she held one out to him, and then took it, she sat down next to him and he realized an older man was playing the guitar. She curled up next to him, leaning her head on his arm, he looked down at her as she leaned on him, then decided to press his luck by slowly lifting his arm up, allowing her to lean into him a little more comfortably, which she did, and he draped his arm around her shoulders.

* * *

"I'm glad you came." she told him later when many of the people had left. He was helping her clean up, picking up glasses and bottles while Elle slept on the couch. Lori was cleaning up as well.

"Oh my god, Anita forgot her hat!" she laughed as she but on the hat. Harper burst out laughing and Bruce turned around and laughed at the yellow hat that was sewn to look like a bee hive with wire extending from it to hold little cloth bees close to look like they were flying around whoever was wearing the hat.

"I could never wear that." Harper laughed. "I'd be far too afraid of death."

"Allergic?" Bruce asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, always have been."

"Her mother was allergic."

"You have different moms?"

"Mm-hmm; we've got a brother and two more sisters as well, but we don't really talk to them much."

"He's been married- this will be the what, the sixth time now." Harper told Bruce who nodded.

"So did you two grow up together or no?"

"Well we did, but not in the same house or anything. We went to school together and would spend every weekend together." Harper told him as she emptied some half drunk drinks into the sink. He carried some more bottles and glasses into the kitchen and she smiled at him. "You really don't have to help, we've got it." she told him.

"It's no problem."

"Do you have a ride home?" she asked and he nodded.

"Tony's driver just texted me saying he's on his way over."

"Okay." she nodded. "I hope you had fun." she smiled at him and he smiled lightly.

"I did, thank you again for inviting me." he told her.

"Well, I think Elle would have been pissed if I didn't invite her boyfriend." she winked and he chuckled.

"Ah you heard about that huh?" he asked.

"Bo told me." she nodded and then made a face.

"What's wrong?" Lori asked as she stepped into the kitchen.

"Oh, just Bo. He thinks he's helpful, but he's trying to give me parenting advice, and wanted to know who Bruce was and all that stuff." she shrugged and Lori looked at Bruce before looking back at her sister.

"Well what'd you tell him?"

"I told him that not that it was any of his business, but Bruce is a very good friend of mine." she said as she stepped around Bruce to walk into the living room. "And, you know what, if he wants to give someone parenting advice, maybe he should give it to a mirror because his kids aren't the sweetest kids in the world." she said pointedly and Lori nodded. "Lori, come help me with Elle."

"Bruce, go help her with Elle." Lori said to Bruce who looked at her. "I'm busy." she shoved a mouthful of wild rice into her mouth and he nodded before walking out to help Harper.

"Lori's busy, will you accept a substitute?" he asked.

"Bruce, you've done so much already, we can just leave her here and Lori can sleep in her bed."

"No I can't, it's bad on my back."

"And the couch is better?"

"Better support." she called back and Bruce shook his head.

"It's not a problem." he told her and she nodded.

"Well, can you pick her up?" she asked and Bruce carefully lifted the sleeping girl up. He followed Harper to Elle's bedroom and waited while Harper cleared the stuff off of the bed and tossed aside a few stuffed animals, and pulled down the blankets. Bruce put her down on the bed and stepped back letting Harper pull Elle's shoes off and her loose sweater she was wearing. Harper leaned down and kissed the top of Elle's head and then stood up and covered her daughter with the blankets, and then reached over to a wall plug and turned on a night light for her.

She gestured to Bruce and they both walked out of the bedroom, Harper closed the door shut behind them silently, and then looked at Bruce who was watching her. He turned and started to walk back to the living room, but she caught his hand, he turned around and she stepped closer to him, still holding his hand. "She really likes you a lot." she told him and he smiled gently, if not, slightly unsure.

"I've never really dealt with kids before- I mean aside from the ones when I traveled."

"You travel?"

"I used to all the time." he told her and she nodded.

"Regardless, you're a natural, and my daughter is very fond of you..." she paused and thought for a moment. "I just feel like I should tell you, she doesn't get attached to men very often, I mean she did with Bo, but after her father stopped seeing her- I just- I guess I'm saying she's had men treat her badly, and she's only eight."

"I think I know what you're trying to say." Bruce said cutting off Harper's awkward stuttering.

"Just don't show up in our lives, and be around one minute, and then leave and never talk to us again the next, okay?" Harper asked, showing Bruce how vulnerable she honestly was.

"I don't plan on it." He told her and she smiled lightly before gently kissing his cheek.

"I didn't think you would." She told him before turning and walking back to the living room. Bruce's phone rang before he could follow after her.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Banner, it's Happy, I'm downstairs and I'm double parked."

"I'll be right down Happy." Bruce told him before hanging up the phone and walking to the living room. "My ride is here." He told the two sisters who were covering the couch in a sheet.

"I'll walk you downstairs." Harper said to him.

"Bye bye Brucie!" Lori called as Harper and Bruce went to the stairwell.

"Sleep well Lori." He said to her and she grinned before Harper shut the door. They walked downstairs and stopped at the door.

"So, thanks again for coming." Harper grinned.

"Thanks again for inviting me." He told her. "Pepper mentioned she invited you to dinner at the tower in a few days, right?" Bruce asked and Harper nodded.

"That's right."

"Great," Bruce smiled. "I'll see you then."

"Right," Harper smiled. "See you then." She hugged him quickly and for a brief moment he could smell her perfume, subtle jasmine and vanilla, mixed with the smell of the smoke from the fire she had been sitting near all night, and then too quickly it was gone. He smiled at her then walked to the car and got into the back seat. He watched as she went back inside and Happy looked back at him.

"Smooth." He said and Bruce rolled his eyes as Happy started to drive.

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_**Hope you liked the chapter, please don't forget to review!** _


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hey ya'll, I'm sorry about the wait, I've been working, and as many of you who have read my previous stuff know, I went through a traumatic experience a few months ago, and I apparently haven't been coping as well as I thought I had. I saw a picture of the guy who raped me on facebook from the wedding I was at and I kind of freaked out a little, so I've been dealing with that and I've been finding it a little hard to concentrate on my writing while I was healing. I'm back to writing though, and I've got until Friday off of work for the holiday, and in that time I'll not only try to update this story again, but I'll also try to update "My Aim is True" so keep an eye out for that. I hope you are enjoying this story! **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. I wish I did. If you were a mutant what power would you want?** _

* * *

"Hey Bruce," Bruce looked up from the work he was doing in the lab. He had been hunched over blood samples and cultures for the past three days, empty coffee cups littered the lab space along with notes and the remnants of the lunch Pepper had brought him earlier. "You should probably clean yourself up; your girlfriend will be here soon." Tony said from where he was leaning in the doorway. He walked over to what Bruce was working on as Bruce took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked, choosing to ignore the fact that Tony still insisted on calling Harper his girlfriend, no matter how many times he rolled his eyes and told his friend to grow up.

"Five thirty. You've got an hour before she's here." Tony told him. Bruce nodded as he stood up, groaning softly as he stretched out. "You're really still working on this?" Tony asked as he looked at some of the papers.

"I've got the time and equipment, and we miniaturized the Arc Reactor, so why not?" Bruce asked.

"How about because deep down you know that getting rid of Big Green and Angry would be getting rid of yourself."

"Tony I don't want to get into this right now." Bruce sighed.

"You know it's true." Tony pressed. "Besides, you're part of a team, you're in control, why do you keep-"

"Because I won't always be in control!" Bruce said quickly. "Because you never know if the next time we all have to go fight aliens or something, if the other guy won't flip out and kill one of you guys, or hurt someone we know."

"You can control him."

"Not always." he answered as he looked down at his papers. He walked around Tony and to the doorway. "I'll clean up in here later." he told him before going to the elevator.

As he stood in the shower letting the hot water sooth his muscles he thought about the event that had brought him to New York nine months prior. He remembered Calcutta and the small hut he was living in there with no hot water, he remembered the illnesses around him and how even though he wasn't an MD he was trying to help there, then being taken from the world he had started to grow accustom to, and brought (metaphorically) kicking and screaming back to SHIELD and their chaos. He thought about Loki using him to divide the team, and Fury somehow using Phil Coulson's death- which he had been unaware of until later- to bring the team together. He remembered being in New York, destroying aliens and catching Tony falling from the sky, and as he thought about that he wondered what would have happened if he had suddenly lost control. He could have caused so much more chaos, he could have taken so many more lives, but somehow he didn't. He was never sure if it was luck, or if the Other Guy somehow knew there were boundaries not to cross.

As he thought about that, he grimaced as the Other Guy started making a ruckus in the back of his mind. Bruce hadn't realized his heart was pounding, he quickly got control, taking deep breaths and trying to focus on other things, the work he was doing, what they might possibly be eating that night and the guests they were expecting.

Harper.

He thought about Harper. He had met plenty of people over the years but Harper, she was a truly different person. She had plenty of reasons not to hold it together as well as she did, and yet there she was greeting the world every day with a grin and making sure her daughter was getting an education, and everything she needed. He ran his hands through his hair making sure he got the rest of the soap out of it before he turned off the shower and grabbed his towel. He wiped down the foggy mirror over the sink and ran his hand over his face, it had been a few days since he had last shaved so he made it a point to do so before pulling on his clothes.

Even though he was having on of what Tony referred to as his "Dark Days" he was going to make the best of tonight.

* * *

"Josh, it's not that much more then the child support every month, and it would make her really happy." Harper was saying into the phone in her bedroom. Elle was standing in the hallway outside her mom's door listening, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to. Elle knew they were going to be going to Stark Tower for dinner and she was planning on asking her mom to let her wear some of her lipstick like she did sometimes, but had stopped when she heard her Daddy's name. "You do know her birthday is in two weeks, are you planning on coming to that? Were you even planning to call? Oh well of course you are now- Okay, don't even go there." she sighed. "Look, I can't have this talk now, I'm going out... Out. Yes, I'm bringing her, what you suddenly care?" Elle squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, digging her finger nails into her palm.

This wasn't fair, why did her parents have to fight? Why couldn't they just be nice? She understood why they didn't live together, but she didn't get why her dad was mean to her mom and why her mom had to yell at him when they spoke. She moved out of the hallway a moment later and curled up on the couch, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs pouting. A few minutes later the door to her mom's room opened and her mom came out and walked over to her.

"You heard some of that, didn't you?" she asked as she lightly touched Elle's hair. Elle nodded and Harper sighed before kissing the top of her daughter's head. "Honey I know it's not easy, sometimes me and your father are going to disagree on things," she said. "But we both love you, and we both want you to be happy."

"Is daddy coming to my birthday?" she asked looking at Harper.

"Daddy's going to be out of the country for your birthday." she sighed and Elle buried her face in her knees again. "But he says he loves you and he hopes you have a great time tonight. We're going to have a great time, aren't we?" she asked and Elle looked up, and then nodded. "Let's take a look at you." Elle stood up to show off what she was wearing, a pair of black leggings under a black dress covered in white poka dots, and a black headband with a pair of black flats. "Do your shoes fit?" Harper asked and Elle nodded. "Good, now, how does Mommy look?" Harper was wearing a mint green skirt with a pale pink long sleeved shirt she had borrowed from her sister with a large bow on the front of it.

"You look pretty mommy." Elle said and her mom smiled.

"Thank you pumpkin." she said as she dropped a pair of pale pink flats on the ground and stepped into them. Her long blonde hair was brushed out and straightened and she went to the closet door. Elle got her mom's purse and followed her to the closet where Harper got out two jackets. She put hers on and then helped Elle into hers before taking her purse and leading the little girl outside. She locked the door and then led her daughter to the subway, her head swimming.

Josh wasn't going to pay for his own daughter's acting classes, not that she had expected him to, he was a jerk and she knew it, but she also knew how much Elle wanted it. Harper had done some cleaning at their old building for a few of the older neighbors sometimes when the store wasn't doing so hot, and the store was in that place right now of not doing so hot. It was because of the internet to be honest, that, and because the prices for advertising had gone up after the alien invasion in midtown. People were rebuilding, they didn't have the money to spend on books, and if they did, they wanted to buy them online and have them delivered, not go down the street and have to deal with the outside world. For a city where hardly anyone had a car and people walked and used the subway, everyone seemed to be introverts.

Harper handed the money to Elle who loved to pay for the subway and they walked through the barrier and went to the platform. As they waited, Elle struck up a conversation with the homeless woman who lived down there, Harper kept an eye on Elle and kept her hand held firmly in hers, but she let her talk to the woman, figuring no one else did. She handed her a few dollars when their train got there and they stepped on. Once they found seats Harper wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders and kissed the top of Elle's head.

As they sat there Harper promised herself that even though she was in one of her moods, she would make the best of tonight.

* * *

On their way there they stopped at a small liquor store and picked up a bottle of wine, Harper had learned from her mother to never show up anywhere empty handed. Stepping into Stark Tower Harper had to look at the code Ms. Potts had given her again to get into the private elevator that would take them to the penthouse. Elle bounced right over to the elevator and punched in the numbers before Harper had a chance to tell her them. She looked at her daughter who smiled innocently and then the doors opened. The two walked into the elevator and Harper noticed there was no buttons inside. "Um..."

"Good evening Ms. Burke, Mr. Stark has requested I take you straight to the Penthouse." a cool British voice said startling Harper and making Elle grin.

"Thank you?" Harper asked as the elevator moved up. A moment or two later the elevator doors opened and the two stepped out into what looked like a large, expensive living room.

"Hey, you're here!" Harper looked over as Ms. Potts walked over with a wide grin. She was wearing a beautiful black dress and a pair of heels making Harper feel really under dressed, her red hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a few wisps of hair framing her face. She walked over and pulled Harper- who was shorter than her- into a hug making Harper smile lightly. "It's great to see you."

"You too." Harper smiled and then looked at Elle.

"Ms. Potts, I like your dress."

"Thank you." she smiled. "I like your dress."

"My mommy says the collar is called Peter Pan, just like the movie."

"It is, and it's very pretty." Pepper smiled at her before looking at Harper who smiled, and then quickly held up the bottle of wine.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I brought you some wine."

"Oh how nice, thank you." Pepper grinned as she took the bottle. "Why don't you two hang up your coats right there while I open the bottle. Elle, sweetie, what do you want to drink?"

"Just water please." Elle smiled.

"Okay." Pepper grinned. Harper took her coat off and hung it up where Pepper told her to and then hung up Elle's and led her in the direction Pepper had gone off in.

"This is incredible." Harper said to Pepper who smiled at her.

"Tony sure thinks so." she said jokingly and Harper smiled.

"No it truly is." she sighed. "Just look at that view."

"Oh if you want to see a view, follow me." Pepper said as she handed the glass of water to Elle and a glass of wine to Harper. She took a glass herself and then led the two to a door leading to the outside walkway over the city. Elle stayed near the door, having just discovered a fear of heights but Pepper and Harper walked out along the walkway, looking at the lit up city.

"I have to say it looks different from up here." Harper sighed as she looked down at the city.

"You should see it falling from this height." a voice from behind her said making her turn around and look at Tony Stark in surprise.

"Are you speaking from experience Mr. Stark?" she asked and he smiled lightly.

"I usually am." he nodded.

"Well, I'm glad you were unharmed." she told him and he smiled lightly.

"Hogan needed to run to the store for the cook really quick, but he'll be right back." Tony told Pepper who nodded and then looked back at Elle who was cautiously looking at the city below.

"Maybe I should bring her back inside." Harper said, before Elle quickly ran over to her. Harper knelt down and listened to her whisper for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, let me ask-"

"It's okay I know where it is!" Elle insisted before she pushed the door open and ran back inside. Harper smiled at Tony and Pepper.

"Bathroom." she explained shortly.

"Of course. Tony, where's Bruce?"Pepper asked.

"Right there." he nodded to the glass walls and they looked through to see Bruce stepping off the elevator. He looked up, presumably as Jarvis spoke before walking over to the door and smiling at Harper who returned the smile. He stepped outside and walked over to her.

"How are you?" he asked and she nodded.

"I'm good." she smiled as she looked at him.

"Tony why don't we go inside and get a drink?" Pepper asked.

"You've got a drink." he pointed out and she tipped her glass over the side.

"Oops." she said as she carried her now empty glass and dragged her boyfriend inside.

"They're subtle." Bruce rolled his eyes and Harper smiled with a small nod.

"I think they're funny."

"Oh sure, they're plenty funny, just not very subtle." Bruce nodded and she continued to smile. "You look nice." he told her.

"Thank you." she said and looked him over. "You don't look too bad yourself." She was about to say something else when the door opened and Elle walked out carefully.

"Hi Bruce!" she said to him and he smiled at her.

"Hey Elle." he smiled and noticed how uncomfortable she seemed. He and Harper walked back to the door and he held it open for them to walk back inside. Harper smiled at him, and as she did he couldn't stop himself from blurting out- "Would you like to go out to dinner with me this weekend?" Elle turned around and looked at her mom, Tony and Pepper both looked over from where they had been "Discreetly" watching the couple and everyone waited for her answer.

"I'd love to." she smiled making him smile. "But first, let's get through tonight."

* * *

**_I hope you guys liked it, their date and Elle's birthday will be in the next chapter! _**

**_Please don't forget to review!_ **


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hey ya'll, here's chapter 7 and I do not think you will be disappointed. **_

_**Disclaimer: I own Marvel... In my dreams!** _

* * *

"You would not believe the incredible view," Harper was saying to Lori as Lori changed into her pajamas. They were sitting in Lori's apartment, Elle was passed out in the living room, and Harper had just come to get her from her sister after having dinner at Stark Tower.

"I've been there- not to the top granted, but yeah. Tony Stark sure knows what to do with his money." Lori agreed. "So how was it?"

"Dinner was amazing," Harper sighed. "I just- I never thought that I'd be, you know, having dinner in Stark Tower hanging out and talking about the world with Tony Stark."

"I hope you weren't spending too much time talking to Mr. Stark because we all know what a lost cause that is. That boy is devoted to Ms. Potts come hell or high water."

"Of course not!" Harper laughed. "It's just weird, you know?"

"Trust me kiddo, I know."

"I hate it when you call me that." Harper said and her sister cracked a grin.

"So, what's going on over on the good doctor front?"

"He asked me out."

"I hope you said yes! I mean, even if it's just for the practice."

"Yeah I said yes."

"Jeeze girl, don't sound too excited." Lori walked over to the bed and sat down on it facing her younger sister. "What's up?"

"Well, it's just- I called Josh today, and he of course made me feel like shit for even thinking about dating, or doing anything that doesn't pertain to caring for our daughter." she shook her head. "And I mean, Bruce is totally amazing and everything, but I just don't- I think he deserves someone a little more stable than me, you know?"

"Honey, Bruce couldn't do any better than you and you know it. You are amazing, and don't you forget that. He would be lucky to have you and your totally amazing daughter in his life." Lori said before reaching forward and pulling Harper into a hug. "Come on, you always get like this after you talk to Josh."

"It's not my fault, he just has this way of making me feel so... Inadequate."

"Well, honey, he's a sociopath, that's what they do." Lori sighed. "Now, when's your date with Bruce?"

"This weekend."

"Okay and where are you guys going?"

"I don't know, we haven't decided yet."

"Do you need me to watch Elle?"

"Oh my god, would you?"

"Of course!"

"Are you sure James won't mind?"

"Oh please, they'll spend the night watching reruns of the A-Team while I get some work done, he'll be fine."

"Yeah I was wondering why she decided to name one of her stuffed animals Hannibal." Harper said thoughtfully and Lori shrugged with a smile. "Well, anyways, I'd better be going, I've got to get sleepy head over there up in the morning to help me open the store."

"Sounds better than what I have to do tomorrow."

"Oh yeah your bi-quarterly schlep out to Jersey to visit the future in-laws, have fun." Harper grinned.

"Sometimes I wish I had a supportive sister who would get me out of these things."

"Blame dad, he never believed in helping out the family." Harper teased as the two sisters walked to the living room. Harper groaned lightly as she picked her daughter up and let the girl's head fall on her shoulder.

"I hope you aren't taking the subway like this."

"Yeah."

"Harper, no, let me get you a cab!" Lori insister and Harper shook her head.

"No way Lori, I already owe you money for helping me with the movers."

"No, honey, this is nothing, I just don't want to hear about anything happening to you two while you go home."

"We'll be fine, it's just a few stops."

"Please Harper."

"No, Lori, we'll be fine." Harper kissed her sister's cheek. "I'll see you later." Lori huffed in response, but knew when she had been beat. As Harper stepped out of her sister's building James was getting out of a cab.

"Oh, hang on a sec." he said to the cabbie before he walked over to Harper. "Let me get her for you." he grinned as he easily plucked the sleeping Elle from her mother's arms.

"No, James, we're taking the subway." she protested.

"No you're not." he said as he shook his head. He pulled a bill fold from his pocket and handed the driver a few extra bills. "Take them home," he told them before telling the driver their address.

"James, no, we'll be fine, I just had this talk with my sister-"

"Then you'll know that I never lose an argument, unless it's to your sister." he said before he kissed his girlfriend's sister on her forehead. "Good to see you kiddo."

"James-"

"Bye!" he called as he walked into the building. She sighed and then looked at the cabbie who was looking out of the cab at her.

"It's already paid for." he shrugged and she sighed again before getting into the cab. She closed the door and he drove them home.

* * *

The day of her date with Bruce Harper left the store, letting her manager Oliver close it while she dropped Elle off at Lori's. Elle was going to spend the night at her aunt's, which she was very excited about. She had decided to dress up for the night by wearing a pair of green leggings, red cowboy boots and a bright pink tutu with a blue shirt. "Well don't you look like the cutest little pack of skittles ever?" Lori asked when she opened the door to see her very colorful niece staring up at her holding a stuffed animal that was almost as big as she was.

"You have no idea the looks she was getting on the subway."

"Hey is a guy can walk around Time Square in his tightie whities and a pair of cowboy boots and a guitar I don't see why she can't be the ballerina cowgirl." Lori said decidedly and Harper laughed lightly. "So what time is Bruce picking you up?"

"In like two hours."

"You're going to be cutting it close."

"Yeah, luckily I washed my hair this morning, so I just need to take a shower and was the subway off of me, and changes and I still don't know what I'm going to wear, and I just- It's been one of those days, you know?"

"I know, I know. Look, do you want to see if there's something in my closet for you?"

"Do you think there is?"

"I think we should look." Lori said and Harper grinned before following her to the closet. The two spent a few minutes looking at dresses before Lori gasped.

"That's it, I found it." she said and turned Harper around. She held a dress up to her sister and nodded. "It's perfect."

"When did you get this?" Harper asked as she held the dress up and looked in the mirror.

"I got it for dad's wedding the time before last."

"Oh."

"Yeah, wore it once, they were married a year. What's that tell you?" she shrugged.

"Nothing I didn't already know about Dad, that's for sure."

"Huh." Lori sighed. "Okay, that's perfect, you've got to wear it."

"Are you sure it's okay for me to borrow it?"

"Honey, I hardly remembered I have it." Lori laughed. "I don't think I'll miss it."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Harper hugged her sister and Lori returned it before swatting Harper.

"Now go, go before you're out of time and you have to go on a date smelling like the subway!"

"Ew!" Harper laughed before going to the living room where Elle was sitting on the couch watching TV. "Honey, I'm going to go okay?"

"Okay Mommy."

"I love you so much, and if you need anything, you know you can call me."

"I know." Elle smiled.

"Be good for Aunt Lori."

"I will!"

"Come give mommy a hug." Elle laughed and got up and gave Harper a hug and then kissed her. "Oh, I love you pretty girl." she said as she gave her daughter a squeeze.

"Mommy, go you'll be late for your date." Elle whined and Harper laughed before giving her another big kiss and then giving Lori a hug, then took the subway home.

* * *

When she was showered and put on some makeup, she brushed out her hair and let it hang loose around her shoulders while she stepped into the dress and then zipped it up. The dress was a white lace sleeveless top half with a crème colored above the knee length skirt. She put on a pair of crème heels she had that were similar to the color of the skirt, and was applying a little lipstick when the doorbell rang. She grabbed her coat and deep red scarf adding a little color to the outfit and then her clutch before going down the stairs. She paused at the door, took a small breath and then opened the door with a smile.

"_Oliver-_" she said in surprise and slight disappointment. "What's going on?"

"I'm so so so sorry, you know I wouldn't do this unless it was an emergency-"

"Sure, of course." Harper nodded to her employee.

"It's just, the distributor is on the phone and I tried to tell them you weren't there, but he kind of freaked out at me."

"It's okay," she soothed the young German boy. "Don't worry, it's fine. Let me just- Go tell him I'll be right there." she told him before she closed her door behind her. She pulled a small notepad out and wrote a note on it to Bruce before running into the shop.

"Lookin' good boss!" Clay, one of her younger employees in college winked at her.

"Clay, go tape this to my door." she ordered as she handed the note to him. He picked up a roll of tape and saluted.

"Consider it done." he said and she moved over to the phone.

"Hello? This is she..." she sighed. "Look, I- I'm afraid I don't know you. Well I usually deal with Jerome. Oh he's out of town is he?" she asked. She was on the phone with the distributor for a few minutes before she requested to talk to the manager, and was put on hold.

"So," Clay walked over to her and leaned on the counter. "Who's Bruce? Should I be jealous? Is some other guy making the moves on my girl?"

"If by that you mean does your boss have a life of her own that doesn't revolve around this store- Yes." Harper nodded and then sighed. "Yes, I'm still here." she was leaning on the counter; unaware that at the angle she was standing she was giving everyone a very good view of her legs.

"Jerk Alert." Clay said suddenly as the door opened to the store. "That guy can't keep his eyes off your legs. And by _your _legs, I mean the legs that will soon be wrapped around _my__**- Ow**_!" he yelped as both Harper and Oliver smacked him upside the head. "Hello sir, can I help you?" Clay asked.

"I'm uh, here to see Harper." Harper turned around quickly and smiled at Bruce.

"One second." she whispered as she pointed to the phone. He nodded and she turned back around to continue the conversation.

"So, you're the competition huh?" Clay asked and Bruce looked at the scrawny twenty one year old. "No matter, I could take ya. I'll have you know, Harper and I are very much in love."

"Ignore him please, he learned how to brew his own coffee recently." Oliver told Bruce who smiled.

"What exactly are you intentions with _my _girl?" Clay asked and Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Clay, go restock the bathroom." Harper ordered.

"But honey bunch-"

"Either the bathrooms or wiping down every book in the history section, your choice."

"Bathrooms it is my love." he said before doing a small spin and then dancing his way to the back. Harper hung up the phone and let out a small sigh before turning around and smiling at Bruce.

"I'm so sorry about that."

"No, its fine, I completely understand." he smiled and she nodded before looking at Oliver.

"Good?"

"Alles gut." he nodded speaking in German and she smiled.

"Good, let's get out of here before Clay finishes." she said and Bruce smiled.

"Good bye Harper, I'm sorry again." Oliver called as Harper and Bruce walked out of the store.

"I'm sorry about my insane employee." she shook her head and he shrugged.

"He's like a young, hyper Tony." he said and she laughed.

"I guess I didn't think about it that way." she agreed.

"You look beautiful by the way." he told her.

"Thank you, I didn't know where we were going, so I hope this is okay." she said and he nodded. They ended up at the Loeb Boathouse, which was overlooking the lake in Central Park, Tony had Pepper call ahead and book them a table overlooking the water, as they were seated they could see people in boats, Harper was looking out over the water, her eyes taking in all in before she looked back at Bruce. "This is incredible." she told him and he smiled.

"I'm glad you like it, I have to admit, I'm a little hopeless when it comes to these things." he admitted and she laughed lightly before putting her hand over his.

"You're doing just fine." she told him with a warm smile. He smiled back and ran his thumb over the back of her hand before their server stepped over to them. They talked about trivial things, both finding conversation was coming easily which was a relief as they waited for their food to come. When they finished their meal they decided to walk around a little bit, as they walked Harper's hand soon found it's way into Bruce's, he looked over at her as he listened to her talk about her daughter, he had realized early on he liked to hear stories about Elle, the charming eight year old had that effect on people. He liked it when Harper told stories about herself as well, but found she was a lot more closed off when it came to talking about herself over her daughter. He could understand that.

"So will you come?" he felt guilty when he realized she had been asking him something.

"I'm sorry?" he asked and she smiled.

"To Elle's birthday, she'd love to have you there." she told him.

"I'd love to go." he told her without hesitation and she smiled as she looked at him, then her eye caught something else.

"Oh look, it's Wollman Rink." she grinned and he looked at what had caught her attention. It was an outdoor ice skating rink.

"Can you skate?" he asked and she let out a laugh.

"I haven't skated in nearly ten years." she laughed.

"Do me a favor," he said and she looked at him. "Don't ask me how long it's been since I've skated." she laughed lightly before taking his hand in hers.

"Come on." she said as she pulled him along.

"You're not getting me out there." he told her as she pulled him to the ice.

"It's never too late to get back on the ice." she told him.

"Who told you that?" he asked.

"My daughter actually." she informed him.

"No way." he told her with a small laugh as she pulled him to the skate rentals.

"I need to buy a pair of socks too." she told the guy who was renting her skates. "What size shoes do you wear?" she asked Bruce.

"No." he repeated and she shot him a bored look. He sighed and then told the guy what size shoes to bring. "I hope you realize I'm most likely going to break my neck."

"You're not going to break your neck." she told him and he sighed before taking the skates. They checked their shoes and her purse before she put on the socks she had bought and then put on the skates. "Wow it's been awhile." she said as she stood up in the ice skates. Bruce finished tying his and walked over to the edge of the ice with her. She smiled at him before stepping onto the ice and gliding out. She was a little wobbly at first and Bruce couldn't help but laugh slightly as she waved her arms around trying to get her balance, and then found it. She sighed and then nodded to him. "Well, come on." she said to him and he sighed before stepping onto the ice, holding onto the sides as he tried to get some balance and footing. "So how long has it been?" she asked and he groaned.

"You promised you wouldn't ask." he said and she shook her head.

"I never promised that." she told him and he shook his head.

"It's been a long time. At least, twenty years." he admitted. "Why are you so good at this?" he asked when he noticed her gliding along behind to him.

"I'm really not." she said and he noticed her fingers brushing the wall next behind him.

"So, your daughter thinks it's never too late to get back on the ice huh?" he asked.

"Well, she tries to stay positive like that," she explained. "I may have paraphrased a little."

"Ah, of course." he nodded as they continued to move forward. More experienced skaters flew by them as they did a loop, trying to get more comfortable on their skates.

"I'm starting to think my dress may have been a bad idea for this." Harper said and Bruce's attention was drawn to her legs.

"I don't see anything wrong with it." he told her before he could stop himself and she blushed lightly but smiled all the same. "You know I have noticed that Elle stays positive most of the time." he told her.

"She's eight years old, why should she worry about things?" she asked and he nodded.

"I agree," he said. "And the fact that you make sure she doesn't worry, that's one of the reasons you're an amazing mother."

"Well, I try to be a good mom." she said and he caught her hand.

"As much as I've seen you interact with her, she looks up to you, you've always been there for her, you teach her how to live in the world, you're an amazing mom Harper. Don't sell yourself short. You're... Incredible." he told her and she stared at him before she moved closer to him.

She cupped his face with her right hand and put her left hand on his shoulder as she leaned in and kissed him. One of his hands was in use holding himself up against the wall while the other wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him as the two of them kissed.

When they broke apart her eyes fluttered open and he stared down at her. She leaned up and kissed him again, then pulled away from him, she spun around on the skates, skating backwards as he stared after her. "What happened to not having balance?" he asked.

"I lied, it's easy, just take the step."

* * *

**_Well, I hope ya'll liked the chapter, also I'd like to say something to Dana who reviewed without signing in or signing up, either way, your review was as follows: ""they told me I had to wait twenty four hours before I could report her missing and- I just I panicked"_**

**_ Just a nitpick - no law enforcement officer would have told her this. It isn't actually true even for adults, and it's even less true for children...in fact, with children especially, it's crucial to start investigating the disappearance immediately, if you don't start investigating for 24 hours you've wasted a huge portion of the critical time for having any significant chance of finding the child alive."_**

**_I just want to say, I know proper police procedure when investigating a missing child, and this has to do with the plot later in the story. I hope it didn't turn you off from continuing to read. _**

**_Anyhoo, please don't forget to review!_ **


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